If you can’t make it to the theatre it’s possible to watch a number of productions from your sofa via streaming services.
There are big-name theatres and companies such as the RSC, as well as productions starring famous names like David Tennant.
During lockdown many theatres offered free shows each week, but these seem to be stopping. However, you can still watch shows via subscription services.
Subscription services & rentals
Hamilton on Disney +
You can watch a recording of the original Hamilton cast on Disney +. It costs £5.99 a month – though there are ways to save. For more discounts visit my streaming service deals page.
In Camera at the Old Vic
The Old Vic is live streaming performances via Zoom. It’s not on-demand – you have to buy tickets for a set performance time.
You pay what you’d pay if you were going, with the minimum price £10, but you can choose to give up to £65.
For Christmas the production includes A Christmas Carol.
National Theatre at Home
You can either rent individual productions or subscribe to access a range of National Theatre shows and other productions with National Theatre at Home.
It costs £8.32 a month, or £83.32 for a year.
Wind in the Willows at the Palladium
This production with Rufus Hound from 2017 was free, but is now £4.99 to rent.
Marquee TV
This has some theatre but it’s probably best for dance and opera fans. You can get a 30-day free trial. After that it costs £8.99 a month or £89.99 a year – though there’s a £20 discount for your first year.
New shows are premiered every Saturday. Theatre seems to mainly be RSC and an Oscar Wilde season, but there’s a huge amount of dance from the likes of The Royal Ballet and the Bolshoi, with opera from Glyndebourne and others
Digital Theatre
Digital Theatre is a streaming service that costs £9.99 a month for unlimited viewing, or £7.99 per production.
It includes shows from the likes of the RSC, Old Vic, Donmar, Lyric and Royal Opera House.
Shows includes Funny GIrl with Sheridan Smith, Hamlet with Maxine Peak, Much Ado About Nothing with David Tennant and Into The Woods from Regent’s Park.
There’s also ballet, dance, opera and classical music.
One of the positives to come out of the way that the theatre industry has been hit so hard by the Covid pandemic, has been the way that the industry has adapted and gained a wider audience by such streaming of shows etc.
A new way of working but hopefully ultimately very positive for the sector.
Nice article, well done.